Method of recovering elements from well bores



Feb. 12, 1946. 2,394,759

METHOD OF REC OVERING ELEMENTS FROM WELL BORES I c. R. EDWARDS Filed May13, 1940 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 5 0 a 0 75 3 5 5 7 20 w mw wa wwwwwwwwwww w w%W/ 7////W/ 7 7// A A a 5a O Patented Feb. 12, 1946 UNITED STATESPATENT, orr cs y METHOD OF RECOVERING ELEMENTS FROM WELL BORES CharlesR. Edwards, Houston, Tex. Application May 18, 1940, Serial No. 334,947

3 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in methods ofrecovering elements from well bores.

An important object of the invention is to provide an'improved methodfor recovering and removing pipe, tubing, or the like, from a well borewhich contemplates a plurality of steps which are performed inaccordance with the particular conditions existing inthe well bore fromwhich the pipe is being removed; the method being adapt- The inventionwill be more readily understood from a reading of the followingspecification and by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which anexample of the invention is shown, and

wherein:

Figure l is a schematic view, showing a string of tubing lodged withina. well bore,

Figure 2 is a schematic view, showing a circulation breaker establishingcommunication between the tubing and exterior thereof,

Figure Bis a view, partly in'section and partly able to change in thesequence of its steps so as in elevation, of a circulation breakerconstructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, showing the device in itsoperating position,

Figure 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 ofFigure 3,

Figure 6 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line 6-8 ofFigure 3,

Figure '7 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken on the line |1 ofFigure 4,

Figure 8 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, showinghow a tool may be run down through the device,

Figure '9 is a view. partly in section and partly in elevation, showinghow a tool may be pulled up through the device, and

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view, showing the fluid agitatingmeans of the housing.

Stage-circulation breakers"'B are provided as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 foruse in reestablishing circulation by short stages from' the top of thesticking material on down to the bottom of the I stuck string of drillpipe or tubing. At times when there are circulation breakers in thestring of pipe or tubing, and evenwhen circulation has beenreestablished, it will be found that the stuck string cannot be releasedbecause the circulation may have channeled around through a crevice orup one side.

Circulation breaker B As pointed out hereinbefore, some type .ofcirculating breaker would be desirable to be placed in a string of drillstem, or of other tubing, whenthe same is run into, a well bore, and, inthe event such pipe became stuck within the well bore,'it may bepossible to free said pipe by operating said circulating breakers. InFigures 3 to 10, inclusive, there has been shown one type of acirculating breaker. The housing 400 is preferably of the same insideand outside diameters as the inside and outside of the tubing andtherefore does not produce a reduction or an enlargement within thestring. The upper end 40l of the housing 400 is internallyscrew-threaded, and receives an adapter 402 which has an axial bore 403therein. This adapter 402, at its upper end, is connected to a sectionof the drill stem or tubing. The lower portion of said bore is enlargedI and forms a shoulder .404. The lower end of the housing 400 is reducedand externally screwthreaded, forming a pin 405 onto which a tool jointbox (not shown) or the collar of any ordinary tubing (not shown) may beconnected. The housing 400 is provided with an axial bore 406 which isreduced at its lower end and forms an I annular slot or shoulder 401.Thishousing is provided with fluid passageways, and the valves for saidpassageways are controllable to be opened and closed by the operatorfrom without the well bore. Preferably, the operator will desire to openand close one of said valves before opening another of said valves in acirculation breaker at some lower level in the well bore so as toestablish circulation by short stages.

Slidable within the bore 406, of the housing 400, is a-valve controlused to position a valve, which control includes an elongated sectionalsleeve 408. The upper section 409, of the sleeve 400, isscrew-threadedly attached to the upper end of the lower section 4 I 0.The extreme upper end of the section 409 slides within the enlargedportion of the adapter 402, and may abut the annular shoulder 404. A:plurality of slots 4 and normally have their outer surfaces closed bythe adapter 402.. It is pointed out that said slots are cut at anupwardly extending angle so that fluid passing through said slots musttravel in an upward direction. Below the slots 4| I; the outercircumference of the sleeve is provided with a spiral groove 412, saidspiral portion of the sleeve 409 is enlarged and slides within the bore408 of the housing 400. Thesection 4|0 is connected at a point oppositethe spiral groove, or in close proximitythereto.

The housing 400 is provided with-a plurality of openings or fluidpassageways 4|3 which establish communication between the. interior andm the use of this tool, ther may be placed at any suitable intervalswithin the string of pipe or tubing, circulating breakers. 'For example,the depth of the well may be 5,000 feet, and

one of-such circulating breakers could be placed at .five-hundred-footintervals so that there would be five to eight of such circulatingbreakers in the string of pipe. If while drilling the pipe becomesstuck, the operator usually in such instances does not desire todisconnect the pipe ifhe can reestablish circulation around the same,

thereby freeing it, .An example of the method to exterior of saidhousing. Slidable within the sleeve 4 i4 which has its upper endenlarged and slidably engaging both the section H0 and the housing 400.The central portion of the sleeve 4|4 is provided with slots 4|5, andsaid sleeve atthis portion is reduced. Riding within the sleeve M4, andscrew-threadedly attached to the housing 400, is a stop pin 4|8, whichwill obviously limit the vertical movement of the sleeve 4| 4 becausethe inner end of said pin rides within the slot 5. Below the slots 5,the sleeve1|4 is provided with a plurality or a pair of annular grooves4". The section 4|0, of the sleeve 408, has its outer circumferencereduced, forming an annular seat or shoulder 4| 8.

A retaining ring 8 normally abuts the shoulder 8 and the lower end ofthe sleeve 4. A similar retaining ring 420 normally rests upon theshoulder 401, of the housing 400,-and on the annular seat above thelower end 42| of the section 4|0. Confined between said retaining ringsis a coiled, compressed spring 422. The upper enlarged portion 423 isprovided with a plurality of packing rings 424 which normally lie oneither side of the openings 3, thereby packing ofi so that fluid cannotenter or escape through the openings 3. Confined between the lower endof the section 409 and the enlarged portion 423 is a coil spring 425.In'the inner surface of the housing 400, and opposite the coil spring425, there is provided a plurality of enlarged screw operate thecirculating breaker is' to open and close the valve or valves in one-ormore of these breakers so as to reestablish circulation. There has beenshown in the drawings a tool C which is commonly referred to as afgo-devil." As. the go-devil strikes the first circulating breaker andcomes to rest upon the balls 428, its weight'is just enough to move theparts, to the positions v ing'400. The purpose of the spiral groove 4 2and threads 428 is to set up a turbulence in the fluid stream that maybe forced to flow outthrough the openings 8, and thereby create an extradown thrust on the sleeve 408. This down thrust greater turbulentefiect, and will act to force said threads 428. The section 4|0 of thesleeve 408, I

tions shown in Figure 3 when it is inserted in the well, and remains inthese positions during normal operations of the well. However, a tool,such as a core barrel, or the like, (not shown) may be run into the welland will strike the balls 428. The core barrel, or the like, by its ownweight or by normal pump pressure, will force. the sleeve 408downwardly, and the balls 428 will drop into the lower circular groove,4", thereby allowing the core barrel or other tool to pass through said'circulation breaker. When said core barrel, or other tool, is"withdrawn, it strikes the balls 428, moving the sleeve 408 upwardly andallowing the balls to snap into the upper groove M1, and the tool, maythen pass up through said circulation breaker.

In the event cuttings or other materials lodge around the pipe, and thepipe becomes stuck in the well, it is desirable to break circulation soas to reestablish circulation and to wash around the outer circumferenceof the pipe so as to wash the earth or binding material away from thepipe.

sleeve downwardly. Further, in the event particles of mud, or the like,enter the slots 4| they will be carried down and around the spiralgrooves and threads. The spring 425 will move the enlarged portion 428of the sleeve 4|4 downwardly as the pressure upon the spiral grooves H2is increased. It. is pointed out that the balls will then enter thelower circular groove 4 I. All this will move the ring 4 I9 downwardlyand compress the'spring 422. The tool will now be in the position shownin Figure 8.

The ports 4|! have been opened and thereby fiuid may pass from the boreof the tubing through the slots 4 and through the annular groove 2 andthreads 428, out through the ports 8 and up the outside of the pipe ortubing.

Thus the operator has established circulation around this upper portionof the stuck pipe, and he may now desire to move to the next circulatingbreaker to establish communication at t "at point. In order to do this,it is necessary to-- increase the pump pressure and volume which willact ,upon the sleeve 408, thereby moving said sleeve established down tothe second breaker, and this is repeated until the entire string oftubing hasbeen freed. After the go-devil or a tool, has passed throughthe tool, the springs 422 and 425 expand and return the parts to thepositions shown in Figure 3 and the valve closes the passageways 4|3. Insome instances, it may be found desirable to operate the valve in thebreaker by other means, and any suitable means may be used. At times itis desirable to retract said go-devil or to run into the well or toremove from the well a core barrel or other device. As the go-devil, orother device, is pulled upwardly,

the same will strike the balls 428, and, by an up-- 6 will hold thesleeve war: movement, the p 4 and allow the sleeve 18 to move upwardly,thereby allowing the balls flll to drop into the upper groove ll'l andallow said go-devil to be retracted (Figure 9). Thus there is provided acirculating breaker which does not restrict the bore of the tubing andwhich can be easily and efllciently operated.

This application is a continuation in part, as to common subject matterof my application, Ser. No. 301,762, filed August 24, 1928, now issuedinto Patent No. 2,214,550 of September 10, 1940.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a process of deep well operations involving the removal of pipeand the like in a well 'bore, the steps of inserting at suitableintervals,

circulation breaker Joints in a pipe string, lowering and operating saidpipe string in the well until said pipe becomes lodged or stuckso fastin the well bore that it cannot be readily withdrawn in its entirety,then selectively opening a passageway in the wall of one of saidcirculation breaker joints, then circulating fluid out through said openpassageway to remove any detritus from above said passageway that mighttend to stick and lodge said pipe string above said passageway, thenclosing the said open passageway so as'fto prevent the circulationoffluid therethrough, then selectively opening a passageway in the wall ofanother one of said circulation breaker Joints placed at a lower pointin said string of pipe, then circulating fluid out through said loweropen passageway to remove the detritus from around said string of pipethat was holding said string of pipe against withdrawal.

2. The method of freeing a pipe lodged in a well bore because of sand orother detritus being located about said pipe-in such a manner as tostick said pipe, that includes the steps of selectively opening one of aseries of valved passage- Ways insaid pipe, circulating fluidtherethrough to remove any detritus that may be lodged above said openpassageway, of closing said passageway, of selectively openingv a lowerpassageway in said pipe, of circulating fluid therethrough to remove thedetritus that may be lodged about said pipe and freeing said pipe so asto permit its withdrawal from the well bore.

3. The method of establishing circulation by stages up around a stuckstring of pipe and the like in a well bore that includes the steps ofcirculating fluid down inside the stuck pipe for only a part of itslength and up and around the outside of said part that was circulateddown on the inside and then of circulating fluid to a-point farther downinside the stuck pipe and up and around said stuck pipe from such pointfarther down in the pipe, to free said pipe so as to permit itswithdrawal from the well bore.

CHARLES R. EDWARDS.

